Build-It-Yourself Attachment KITS...How much interest would there be???

[crazyal]

I think it would be a great ideal. I would be interested in which attachments would be worthwhile to be made as a kit. I think you'll find out that a number of members here would modify the kits in ways you couldn't dream of to better suit them. You could even hold a contest and pick a winner or two and send them a kit at cost and let them document each step and post the process so others could see how easy it is.

 

[crazyal]

Another thing that I would love to see would be each part sold by itself. That would allow those who had an idea could buy just what they needed and then build their own custom design.

 

[aczlan]

Another thing that I would love to see would be each part sold by itself. That would allow those who had an idea could buy just what they needed and then build their own custom design.

I could see some great uses for such a service...

Aaron Z

 

[Tractor Seabee]

My thoughts. Your real prospects are guys like me; have needs and wants to improve our methods and work flow work with various implements, have metal shop skills and equipment as we do all our own repair work, have a limited budget that keeps the good stuff on the back burner, and really are needing items that require speciality cutting or machining we have to hire out at $75-100/hr witha i hour minimum. Set up for one or two items is a killer. I could easyialy build your BX bucket disconnect setup if I had the connector units only just from the pictures. Instead I have designed my own solution, more cumbersome but workable anf have about $100 in materials. All my own labor which is not money out of my pocket. IDEA FOR YOU: Why not depart from the standard implement part sales program implement manufacturers practice of if it doesn't bolt on you have to buy the whole welded assembly; offer a parts catalog of the speciality items that do require cutting out the old and welding in the new. The cost of freight precludes buying large assemblies of standard diminsional steel shapes. I have paid $100 freight for a $100 item just because that was the only option as dealers do not stock those assemblies either. Dealers price their implements the same wether they have them in stock or have to special order them except on a non-stocked item you have to pay the freight in addition. I recently priced a $600 rear blade unit and the shipping made it cost $800.

 

[Redneck in training]

The reduction would be significant due to the reduction of labor, paint, welding supplies and shipping costs, and it would vary from one attachment to the other. The kit would include every bolt, nut, screw, and shank that is required to build the attachment, and all the parts would be cut and bent to the specifications needed for simple assembly. The attachments that are almost 100% manufactured in our factory, like the plows, would have a larger reduction in price than say a cultipacker that has the cast iron wheels which we purchase from a 3rd party.

You could exclude parts that don't require machining (in example square or round tubing) and can be sourced localy. Or at least it should be an option. It will save on shipping cost.

 

[CBW1999]

You could exclude parts that don't require machining (in example square or round tubing) and can be sourced localy. Or at least it should be an option. It will save on shipping cost.

+1

To add, similar to another post- for the parts that you can purchase locally, if they require cutting or drilling- include a single use template. Maybe exclude common fastening hardware that can be bought locally- would save a lot of weight.

Perhaps a "piece it together" option. Disc harrow as an example- maybe someone has access to or already has the discs- no need to buy them....

 

[Guesseral]

Well you sure are getting a lot of different ideas. I still like the idea, but without all of the changes. Ship out the cut out pieces for what you sell assembled with directions and call it a day. If there are too many different variations then it gets to complicated for you, which will, could, or would add complications or miss shipped parts IMO.

 

[swick1]

Well you sure are getting a lot of different ideas. I still like the idea, but without all of the changes. Ship out the cut out pieces for what you sell assembled with directions and call it a day. If there are too many different variations then it gets to complicated for you, which will, could, or would add complications or miss shipped parts IMO.

Agreed

 

[Luremaker]

Well you sure are getting a lot of different ideas. I still like the idea, but without all of the changes. Ship out the cut out pieces for what you sell assembled with directions and call it a day. If there are too many different variations then it gets to complicated for you, which will, could, or would add complications or miss shipped parts IMO.

Agreed x2. The KISS principal should be followed here until you know there is a market.

 

[crazyal]

I think if you could simply design the web site so that the customer could click on a kit and all the parts would automatically be added to the cart. They then go to the cart and add or remove what pieces as the like. I think I would avoid hardware like nuts and bolts unless they were something like a u-bolt that couldn't easily be found locally. Otherwise you would need to have a heat sealer so you could bag up all the hardware and seal it and then find a good way to secure it to a pallet. It's one thing strapping down steel but a small box or bag on a pallet would be the first thing lost during shipping. You could also have your site set up so that each part could be added to the cart by itself.